Akrama-Sakrama fate today

The government is contemplating on bringing Akrama-Sakrama scheme to regularise illegal structures on revenue lands and buildings violating the building by-laws.

Highly placed sources in government revealed that a Cabinet sub-committee, led by Transport Minister R Ashok, which was constituted following vehement protest for charging high amount as penalty in the previous Akrama-Sakrama scheme, is going to hold a meeting on Tuesday to decide the date of starting the scheme and the penalty amount to be levied.

Scheme withdrawn

This scheme was started earlier in September 2007 which should have continued till December but following strong protest and severe criticism against regularising the structures that violated the building by-laws and the high penalty rates, the government had no option but to withdraw the scheme. It was learnt that the government is planning to bring down the penalty rate by fifty per cent in Bangalore which is in a run-up to the BBMP elections.

Once the scheme is introduced, people who have constructed houses on the land whose usage has not been converted, layouts which have not got approval from the appropriate authorities, and those violating the sanctioned layout-design and buildings which are in violation of the sanctioned plan would be benefited with this Akrama-Sakrama scheme. When the scheme was first launched the government was charging Rs 200 for 60 square metres, Rs 400 per square metres for properties between 60 square metres and 120 metres and Rs 600 per square metre for properties above 120 square metres.

Properties measuring 30 feet by 40 feet were to pay a penalty of Rs 48,392 while properties measuring 40 feet and 60 feet were to cough at least Rs 1.37 lakhs. Now the amount would slash down to half, said sources.

Rs 4,000 crore revenue

The government is expecting a revenue of around Rs 4,000 crore from this scheme. The launch of this scheme is not only intended at earning revenue for various developmental schemes that need around Rs 22,000 crores, but also would help the ruling BJP in Karnataka sail through the BBMP elections.